#also i love both the idea that they are all expert 5 star chefs who feed hank WELL

[poorlydrawnandroids]

From the people who brought you: "Android detectives can't cook!" comes the concept: "Hank has a horrible food palate!"

He's happy to try anything once.

[the-lincyclopedia]

* adapted from @librajiminn on twitter

A fun game to celebrate 2020 ending! The rules are simple: recommend your favorite OMGCP fics so everyone can enjoy them, while trying to fill in enough slots to get a bingo!

This is going to get long, so I’ll put it under a cut. Also, I’m too orderly to try to shoehorn my favorite fics into these particular prompts, so I’m just going to go right to left, top to bottom, taking the prompts literally, until it’s bedtime. 

1. first fic you bookmarked: “Here Comes the Sun” by @doggernaut, 19k, G, no warnings, Zimbits

For the past month, the man with the baby and the sad blue eyes has been stopping in for a cup of coffee an hour before closing. He always sits in an overstuffed chair in the corner and drinks his coffee while his baby sleeps next to him in the stroller. Sometimes he pulls a book out from the diaper bag he carries with him; other times he just stares straight ahead as if in a daze. He never asks for a refill, always respectfully gathers his things and leaves ten minutes before the shop officially closes. Eric desperately wants to ask him what his story is. 

My notes: I read Check Please over the course of two days in June of 2019. On the second day, right after catching up, I looked at @peppermintfeminist‘s AO3 bookmarks and found a fic by @doggernaut. Then I read just about everything @doggernaut had ever posted. It was glorious. This fic in particular is so cute. 

2. most recent fic you bookmarked: “Flight Check” by @edgarallanrose, 15k, E, no warnings (though there is a creepy/handsy guy at a club to watch out for), primarily Zimbits with most of the other popular pairings in the background

Flight attendant Eric “Bitty” Bittle has been working his way up at Samwell Airlines for the past four years, and his new promotion has provided him the opportunity to work with a brand-new crew. Unfortunately for Bitty, that crew includes an incredibly handsome but equally grumpy pilot, Captain Jack Zimmermann, who seems to want nothing to do with Bitty. Even worse, Jack refuses to eat any of Bitty's baked goods. Will Bitty be able to win the captain over? Or is there another reason Jack has been avoiding Bitty?

My notes: There are a lot of great things about this fic--Jack’s character arc, Lardo’s dialogue, that scene in Seattle--but the reason I bookmarked it is the scene where Bitty’s basically slut-shaming himself and Jack gently but firmly tells Bitty not to do that and that it was the creep’s fault. 

3. a fic that made you cry actual tears: “a little bit more” by @ivecarvedawoodenheart, 14k, T, no warnings, Holsom

“I just wanted,” he says, “a perfect day. With you. Because it’s our last day together and our last day being here as undergrads and we’re kissing the ice tonight, and the weather’s supposed to be beautiful, and you’re moving tomorrow and Holtzy I just — I don’t want to be missing you already.” Holster wipes his eyes before he even realizes he’s crying. Behind him, Ransom sighs. “One more day where everything’s the same,” he says, feeling around blindly for Rans’ fingers. He feels Rans nod as he laces their fingers together. “Yeah. Yeah, Rans. I’d like that a lot.” __________________________

Holsom after graduation and throughout the subsequent six months after Holster signs to an expansion team in Oregon, and realizes his feelings for Ransom too late. Holster's POV :) kinda angsty, but there's a happy ending :)

Inspired by shitty-check-please-aus: "Holster moves to Oregon while Ransom stays on the east coast. The time difference makes it difficult to talk and one day they wake up and realize they aren’t best bros anymore."

My notes: I almost never cry at fics. I searched “tears” in my fandom email account and only a handful of my fic comments came up, but Syd is a literal master of Holsom angst, always. 

4. longest fic you’ve read: “Like Real People Do” by @xiaq, 153k, M, No Warnings, Kent Parson x OC

Parson gestures with his spoon toward Hawke. “So am I allowed to ask about the service dog or is that not PC?”

“My medical history is more of a 3rd date conversation," Eli says.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because. No one sticks around afterward and I like to live in glorious denial for a short period beforehand.”

It comes out more self-deprecating than he intended.

Parson looks…thoughtful. “Well, does this count as one or two?

“Pardon?”

“This. Ice cream. I mean, technically it’s a second location, but still the same night. So is this one date or two?”

“One,” Eli says firmly. “If it’s happening within the same three-hour period.”

“You’re the expert,” Parson says, which, he’s really, really, not, but ok.

“So still two dates to go then?” Parson continues.

“I—what?”

“We’ve got a roadie coming up but then we’re home for almost two weeks. When does your semester start?”

“You want to do this again?” Eli asks.

Parson stops idly twirling his spoon.

“You don’t?”

He does, Eli realizes. He really does. Because apparently he actually likes Kent fucking Parson.

My notes: Okay, this fic has my whole entire heart. I’ve read it multiple times in its entirety, and it’s almost twice as long as the full-length novel I’m querying. Eli is one of my favorite OCs I’ve ever seen in a fic (probably tied with Damian Navarro and Ari Paxton, both brainchildren of @fozmeadows). Anyway, this is probably going to be the next thing @themeaningoflifeischeese and I read out loud to each other. 

5. a fic you almost didn’t read: “when all else fails (i’ll still be right here)” by @whoacanada, 6k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (and I don’t remember if I think there’s stuff to warn for, sorry), Zimbits

The National Hockey League is resurrecting the Quebec City Nordiques, and the expansion draft hits the Falconers much harder than expected.

My notes: Given that this was for @omgcpheartbreakfest, I was worried this would be all angst--all hurt and no comfort. Which made me sad, because I love @whoacanada‘s writing but I wasn’t up for reading unresolved angst. But @doggernaut reblogged the fic, so I asked if the ending was sad, and it’s NOT! There is quite a bit of angst but the ending isn’t sad. 

6. a fic that convinced you on a ship you didn’t ship before: “it drops with the gravity of rain” by @geniusorinsanity, 16k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (attempted sexual assault by an OC), Nurseydex

It happens like this:

“I don’t--this is a bad idea,” Dex says, his lips still tingling, his hands shaking on Nursey’s hips where he’s shoved him away. “This is a really bad idea, Nurse. I can’t--We can’t do this.”

And there’s hurt in Nursey’s eyes and his bottom lip is swollen from Dex’s teeth, but he says, “Okay.” And then, “It’s chill, Dex. Just friends, then.”

It happens like this:

“Actually,” Nursey says, talking more to his granola than to them, “I kind of have a date.”

It happens like this:

When Nursey calls, Dex almost doesn’t pick up the phone.

My notes: So I was really confused and a little disturbed when I first found out people shipped Nursey and Dex. Like, Dex just wasn’t someone I trusted. But then I was moving out of the house I’d been living in, and I needed stuff to listen to as I packed and cleaned, and @khashanakalashtar‘s podfics came in clutch. I gave this one a try even though I didn’t like Dex, and @geniusorinsanity blew. My. Mind.

7. a fic from an unusual POV: “Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy” by @porcupine-girl, 8k, G, no warnings, Zimbits

Jesse Snowden knows all the best restaurants and gourmet food shops in Providence, so when Jack Zimmermann starts bringing in incredible baked goods, he's eager to find out where the new bakery is. When he meets the man behind the pies, he decides that there's no way Jack could really appreciate this guy's talent the way he does, even if they are friends. He starts hiring Jack's chef on the side, in the hopes that maybe once Bitty's done with college he'll come work for Jesse.

Good thing there is absolutely no way whatsoever that Jesse could possibly be misinterpreting this situation.

My notes: Oh my gosh this is so funny. The secondhand embarrassment factor is huge, but like, the hilarity. 

8. a comfort fic: “Don’t Need to Compromise” by @khashanakalashtar, 11k, E, no warnings, PB&J

“Hey,” said Kent, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that would change his entire life, “you said that like you know from experience. Have you done this before?”

Jack and Bitty have not done polyamory before, but they do know Ransom and Holster’s polycule, which contains March.

And March?

March is trans.

My notes: I’m in love with @khashanakalashtar‘s entire Directionverse series (and honestly a lot of their other writing), but “Don’t Need to Compromise,” which is the second fic in the series, just makes my heart swell especially much. The gender feels are so good, and all the characters are so good to each other, and when I listen to this on walks I have to actively try not to arm-flap. 

9. a fic you wish could be a movie: “Ice Crew Please!” by @petals42, 61k, T, no warnings, Zimbits

Jack Zimmermann was drafted first by the Providence Falconers when he was eighteen years old. He is good at hockey. Very good. His team won the Cup his second year and now, in his third year, they are looking good. Jack should be on top of the world. And some days, he manages to convince himself he is.

He’s not, of course.

Enter the Ice Crew.

AKA: The Ice Crew AU

My notes: This fic has its tender moments, but what I love most about it is the sheer goofiness. Ransom and Holster and Shitty are HILARIOUS in this one. I’d love to see their shenanigans in movie form. 

10. a WIP you read as it was updated: “Something Borrowed” by @fozmeadows, 48k, M, no warnings, Kent x OC

All things considered, Ari did his best to prepare himself for the advent of Kent Parson, Potentially Difficult Housemate and New Star Liney. The problem was that his best was an idiot.

My notes: So technically I didn’t start reading this until the first 19 chapters were posted. But there was still plenty of anticipation for the final few chapters. And like, @fozmeadows (as mentioned above) makes EXCELLENT OCs. And I love how their fics consistently convey that having bad things happen to you does not mark the end of your story. 

Okay, it’s bedtime, so have 10 excellent fics. I got bingo twice, because I went straight across on the top two rows.

[torkhin]

So regarding this post,

(1ST NOTE - This is a theory based entirely on my own interpretations of the 15 fears. Feel free to take whatever I say here with a grain of salt)

(2ND NOTE - In this post I divide the Web into two focus areas: the Mother of Puppets, who deals with the mental fear and the paranoia of manipulation, and Mr. Spider, who deals with the physical fear and the arachnophobia. If a Fear doesn’t have a huge imbalance between one versus the other, they’re simply connected to the Web)

Here’s the listed version of how the Web connects with the:

Buried - Fairly easy connection, both deal with being trapped and/or unable to escape. (There’s also something called a trapdoor spider which snatches its prey and drags it underground, so I’d say the connection is pretty deeply rooted (pun entirely intended))

Corruption - Also super easy, creepy crawly spiders and the betrayal and manipulation that comes with a truly corrupt society

Dark - Have you tried to catch a spider? The minute you can’t see it, that sucker’s gone. Not to mention betrayal hurts so much more if it completely blindsides you

Desolation - The connection’s a bit weaker, but the ability to truly destroy someone’s loves and hopes and dreams takes some serious string-pulling

End - imo the weakest connection, bc the Mother of Puppets may prefer to play with her victims into eternity, but if those same victims become numb to the fear and feed the Web less and less, it may be better to hand them over to the End and find some fresher meat

Extinction - Because we know so little about how this Fear operates versus the older 14, the connection is fairly weak. However, the special kind of dread that comes with knowing you’ve shot yourself in the foot and you’ll never recover from it is a special kind of self-betrayal the Mother would do good to invest in

Eye - Considering the strong connections with both the Dark and the Stranger (below), you’d think it’d be difficult for the Web to also establish a connection with the Fear specialized in all-seeing knowledge. Then again, the Eye deals with the fear of having your secrets revealed as well as the fear of being watched. The Mother of Puppets can use both of these, while Mr. Spider works better with the latter.

Flesh - Definitely connects with Mr. Spider more than the Mother. Have you seen how a spider consumes its prey? Truly gruesome

Hunt - Spiders are very precise Hunters, though they usually wait for their food to come to them, rather than go after it themselves (though there are a few notable species that rely on ambush Hunting). The Mother, however, is an expert on paranoia, and will force you to play her game until she’s had enough of the Chase

Lonely - Fairly strong connection, as manipulation works best when the victim is isolated from those who want to help them. Plus, spiders are rather solitary creatures in nature

Slaughter - A pretty weak connection, ngl, as the Slaughter thrives on violence for the sake of violence rather than thinking through ulterior motives. Although, doing something “for the thrill of it” is a sentiment I think the Mother could get behind (does she have ulterior motives? If you’re afraid she does, that spiralling rabbithole of conspiracy is her personal 5-star buffet, regardless of whether it’s true). The connection’s there, but it’s a stretch at best

Spiral - Easy connection, because if you can’t even trust your own mind, can you really trust anything? The web pattern design itself also connects really well

Stranger - Jeez, these two are practically attached at the hip; she’s literally the Mother of Puppets. Not only that, but betrayal can come from anywhere, and if it comes from someone you’ve known for years... well, did you really know them?

Vast - As mentioned in the linked post, you have no idea how far that web spreads, or how small a role you play in it.

...And that’s about it. Like I said, pretty much every Fear can feed the Web in some way. However, there are some Fears that I think connect with the Web the most, and they maintain an ultimate feeding operation (intentionally or otherwise) that allows the Web’s intervention in society to remain at a minimum (being a strong reason for why the Web “prefers the world as it is” and doesn’t currently have a known ritual)

Considering this post is long enough as is, I’ll make a separate post later (probably tomorrow) about the Top Chefs of the Web, but for now, I hope you enjoyed my organized ramble.

Take care, have a good

[twitchesandstitches]

HS Humans in Crossthicc - Descriptions!

The humans themselves, along with my headcanons for how they look here. In general, the post-scratch humans are the older generation, from 5 to 10 years older than the pre-scratch humans:

Jane Egbert: She was originally called Jane Crocker, but she has no wish to be associated with Crockercorp, nor her position as the Condesces’ legal heir. Polynesian, a definite BBW and a very strongfat build, she stands more than ten feet tall and is a walking tank and her powers function as this, making her a living wall that ignores all damage and heals what does get through. Crockertier cybernetics are imbedded through her, glowing blue and making her a very obvious cyborg. Likes to use a combat gourmand fork that can turn into a spoon, and she fancies herself a gourmand when it comes to foes. She tends to use her healing powers to restore people to health as a combat medic.

She started the army of chefs that keeps the fleet fed, and wrote up the principles of agriculture and livestock they follow to this day. She’s since become one of the heads of a corporation-analogue called the Carnival Bazaar; the fleet’s source of wealth, where they sell their goods as they travel from world to world. She’s less a CEO and more of an HR department head who keeps people stabilized and counseled, but in practice she runs the whole thing. She’s very close with Steven Universe, the two of them dating from time to time, and they’ve had many children together.

She is clearly mutated with troll mods; her blood is tinted faintly fuchsia, and she has a few mutations indicating her troll-themed genetic mix. She and Feferi are quite close, and the latter is responsible for stabilizing some of Jane’s complications.

John Egbert: A cheerful and helpful guy, and very tiny, standing below five feet tall. Polynesian, chubby, and incredibly solid for it with muscle. He drifts from ship to ship, going wherever he pleases, and proves to be popular wherever he goes and does his best to keep everyone happy. He’s extremely fast and mobile, and surprisingly destructive in a straight fight, using massive hammers bigger than he is.

Dated Vriska at some point and they’re still very close. No one is sure how the size difference was coped with but he doesn’t seem to mind being totally dominated by extremely large women.

Dirk Strider: Mechanics expert, roboticist, and key engineer in both shipcraft and mech maintenance, though he declines to actually pilot them. Aboriginal, a bit shorter than average (5’6), and has that bishounen ‘thin but pretty and fit’ look. His powers allow him to effect magic directly, and the soul directly; damaging their essence, or turning heroic spirit into raw damage. It gives him a great insight into creating AI, which led to the creation of  his… son? Brother? Something? Anyway, that’s where Li’l Hal came from.

Prefers not to put himself out there and likes being a support guy. “I don’t want to be the guy to kill the bad guy. I want to make the weapon that kills the bad guy.”

Dave Strider: Studies monsters of all kinds, and is a forensic expert and coroner. He also does part time in one of the many bands the fleet does in their flirtation with being cosmic pop stars. He doesn’t like fighting, but he exhibits absolutely absurd speed related to his growing powers of time travel. Aboriginal, smaller than Dirk (5’4), and on the plump side. MILFs of all kinds gravitate straight towards him in a ‘oh, you POOR Dear…!” way. He is the father of many children now, having a huge weakness for gentle, protective mom-types.

Roxy Lalonde: one of the fleet’s head scientists, heavily influential in their alchemizer program, and loves messing with bio mods for fun. Her playful demeanor hides how frighteningly smart she is, and she loves messing with people on account of it. (NOT an alcoholic of any sort here, either.) When she is involved in fighting, she uses high-powered rifles and does sniper duty. Indian, a classic hyper curvy hourglass and about seven and a half feet tall. She can manifest objects out of raw magic, but this takes a lot of work and requires her to understand them in and out. Has a lot of cat-themed mods that sometimes give her pink fur, a tail, cat ears, and functional claws.

A true mom friend to everyone around her, Roxy is a sweet and good-natured person who loves helping people and being a Science Hero FOR GREAT JUSTICE; she’s very passionate about what the fleet does, and actively encourages everyone to be more proactively heroic. She fears that she has a tendency towards addiction, and is compelled to mass produce children whenever she has the chance, with the possibility that she has an integrated alchemizer to ‘produce’ items herself through her powers.

Rose Lalonde: Expert in magical power and theory, specializing in arcane magic, but she also has channeled power from mysterious eldritch entities that are nonetheless apparently benign. They have left their mark on her; while she looks human if she concentrates, in her true form she is a monstrous eldritch monster girl, with tentacles for legs, glowing multiple rows of white eyes, and immense spookiness. Probably at least Roxy’s height, but can be a lot bigger as she powers up. Hard to say how her powers will interface in the AU, but she is certainly an EXTREMELY powerful magic user, on par with a D&D Warlock, and takes a methodical, experimental approach to her powers. Indian, pear-shaped, with very large hips, massive butt, thick tentacles, and large breasts. She tends to favor more inhuman mods, for more multiple… well, everything if she wants it. Her weapons of choice are a pair of deadly wands that channel her magic, and can stab really well too.

Rose is deeply spooky to a lot of people, and she enjoys unsettling others. She gets annoyed that John, Dave and the others don’t fall for it so much anymore. She has a close romance with Kanaya, whom she has had many children with, and they enjoy a mutual spooky aesthetic of eldritch/vampire goodness. She is deeply fascinated by the mystery of what happened in the ancient cataclysm, and has resolved to solve it.

Jake Harley: An explorer and famous fleet scout, often flying off on his own to report on new worlds and see if there is first contact to be made. Able to channel optimism and happiness into raw destructive power over a period of time, he’s situationally very powerful, but tends to be a glass cannon, easily taken out once he Does The Thing. He’s First Nations, and a massive super-cute beefcake of a man; he flexes and people thank him. Likes to use a pair of customized pistol-lasers that channel his powers. About seven feet tall. He may have some genuine angelic essence in him, which can be very spooky.

Jade Harley: A monstrously big and obscenely powerful amazon, so heavily modded that she looks like a werewolf girl even when not monsterized. Her heart has been replaced with an infinite energy generator, she calls it the green sun,, and it is powered by her own resolve, and she uses it to channel a wide variety of technologies secretly fueled by her own powers. She can alter space in many ways; shrinking herself and others, growing herself and others, opening portals, or unleashing incredibly destructive blasts of green energy. She is obscenely powerful, and one of the fleet’s heaviest hitters, bar none. She can even channel it into herself, giving her immense strength or size. She is First Nations, standing… however big she wants, but often over twelve feet high. Muscular and amazonian, she has absolutely enormous curves but focuses on gigantic breasts. Her canine mods are advanced enough that she has furry skin, canine features, and can generally pass as a low-level beastwoman. One of her favorite alternate forms is a dogtaur form. Jade turns Grimbark whenever she uses enough power, but this is more of a super mode, not a bad thing, and she just becomes a lot more aggressive and domineering.

Working heavily in the science departments, Jade is a major leader in the fleet, and a powerful witch as well. She takes a more carefree approach to her magic, doing whatever seems like an intriguing idea for her spells; an artist, to Rose’s technician. She is one of the most prominent human characters here, and her raw power is simply awe inspiring. She’s very sweet, if prone to sassiness and a short temper. She’s rather dominant with boys, too.

Joey Harley: She has no conflict with Jake here, so did not take another name out of spite. A talented dancer and xenopsychologist, she prefers to do ‘real work’ and research, but enjoys dancing and regularly demonstrates her skills at the fleet’s clubs. She is First Nation, with a bulk similar to Jade’s but slimmer, with smaller breasts; instead most of her curve mass is in her cybernetically enhanced legs, which are absurdly powerful. Her kicks are very strong, she can leap great distances, and she augments them further with special weaponized shoes with built-in cannons. Nine feet tall.

Jude Harley: A self-proclaimed strategist and existential threat theorist, he is deeply worried about the threats that the Ringers have supposedly seen, and organizes a group of people who are trying to figure it out as well. He otherwise works in the Zoo, the facility where the pet monsters, summon creatures, and powerlink beasts are cared for, and he happily tends towards the avian ones. He’s made a lot of friends with Flying-type Pokemon and avian Digimon as well. Built on broadly the same lines as Jake but shorter (a little under seven foot) and very softly built.

Li’l Hal: Dirk’s robotic offspring, and while an AI, he can upload himself into robotic bodies as he pleases. He and Dirk have a very complicated relationship, and with being often subject to harassment, oppression and worse by humans, he has a very negative attitude towards organics in general from sheer spite. He’s warmed up a bit since joining the fleet… to just being instantly suspicious of anyone outside the fleet. He’s in sincere love with Jane and Roxy, but doesn’t seem to realize it. He’s quite close with the other robots of the fleet, idolizing the Dinobots as liberators of robotkind, and wishes to one day upload into a Cybertronian frame.

Unexpectedly, he has his own share of unusual abilities unrelated to whatever body he is using. This appears to be related to soul-themed abilities; he can weaponize the essence of genuinely living beings, or tear organics apart at the very soul. While Dirk can destroy in ways he can’t Hal’s actual combat powers are superior to Dirk’s.

Squarewave and Sawtooth: Hal’s robot brothers, and performers in the fleet’s various bands, pop groups, metalheads, and other musical interests. Both of them are loyal to Dirk and are generally considered legally Striders, and think Hal needs to calm down on the ‘meatbags are out to GET US’ front. Squarewave uses destructive sonic attacks… by yelling really, really loud, and comes off as an earnest kid brother. Sawtooth, on the other hand, is just plain cool, everyone wishes they were as cool as that. It must be a Strider thing. He employs integrated weaponry and sonic weapons, often narrating his actions in musical form and working it into his performance.

The Consorts: A wide variety of strange creatures Roxy and Jade created, producing happy little creatures modeled after the canon consorts, and they seem happy to act as servants to the fleet as a whole, bustling in and tidying up or serving people, washing people in the communal baths, and so forth. The fleet tried to get them to be more independent and less servile, but they refused to listen, so they’re just left to their own cheerful devices.

[alishbakhanus]

Choosing a Wedding Venue

Even though the wedding venues vary widely, my preference is always village weddings. Where it is 3 days and 3 nights with drums, starting with breakfast; Sarema’s, fries, meat, buttermilk until evening, then start with a clarinetist, let the reeds beat the drums. Nice weather, great atmosphere, 2 glasses of race, don’t touch our pleasure… I really love such weddings, but only thing I am sorry about is that the bride sits innocently in a corner; Even if women wanted to act among themselves, they would not stand up. Of course, these weddings are now in our childhood.

When I go to the country, they are doing their wedding in the wedding hall of the municipality for economic reasons. You are right, I salute, but let’s come to our big cities… How is the situation around Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, and Antalya? If we consider Istanbul, your options are 1 wedding hall, 2  open air; weather is very important, for country weddings, 3 restaurant weddings, if there is capacity and open air, these are important,  4 hotel weddings, 5 palace weddings and other alternatives. ..

Wedding halls

They have a standard when selling service, but it does not end with it. The service they will provide after the salon is very important. Unfortunately, the race to provide the best service to gain customers from customers has decreased in our country, I think the wedding hall is a life-saving service and it should not be just a matter of squeezing the hall wedding. . I think wedding halls have become a very beautiful culture, even if something has spread to the general public in our country, even though it is seen as a loser over a society. First of all, due to practical and economic continuity, there are many nice aspects such as organizational practices too much, and there are also many different alternatives with dinner cake.

Country weddings

There are places that are quite alternative. With the new law, it is forbidden to sell alcoholic beverages outdoors, but some places have appropriate places and licenses, so they can give this opportunity. Country weddings bring people to the wedding ceremony of their dreams with fresh air in the green and nature and nice treats. The most important thing in country weddings is the weather. Düğünmaster.com offers you a good service in this regard and when you choose your wedding date; it gives you the weather for the previous 3 years. If the weather forecast of your wedding date has been set, it also informs you of the forecast for that day. You can also have an idea about the date selection…

Restaurant weddings

It can be very enjoyable if it has a good cook. But lately, there are many complaints about these issues, especially about the food service and capacity. We, as the wedding master, will not compromise on the inconsistency of the promised and the services offered, and we will never compromise in deleting the comments and offering recommendations about the venue without financial concerns. Apart from that, we have a suggestion; if the number of guests is over 200, do not visit the tables for jewelry.

Hotel weddings,

So magnificent luxury hotels; It promises you fairy-tale weddings. Of course, the packages vary according to the hotel, the location, star and capacity of the hotel vary according to the hall. Some hotels can bring the best chefs of the world; even this can be reflected in your wedding cost. These hotels can organize the most successful wedding organizations.

Palace weddings, places where you can feel like a prince and a prince, many palaces in Istanbul are operated by the municipality, and our palaces, which are rented by the state to the private sector, are also available. In some, you can rent palaces, except for other services, very conveniently, and you can buy organization and catering from outside.

Wedding halls have a standard when selling service, but it does not end with it. The service they will provide after the salon is very important. Unfortunately, the race to provide the best service to gain customers from customers has decreased in our country, I think the wedding hall is a life-saving service and it should not be just a matter of squeezing the hall wedding. . I think wedding halls have become a very beautiful culture, even if something has spread to the general public in our country, even though it is seen as a loser over a society. First of all, due to practical and economic continuity, there are many nice aspects such as organizational practices too much, and there are also many different alternatives with dinner cake.

Can we have a wedding in the summer?

Wedding halls have been closed for about 3 months as part of virus measures. Business owners who do not know when the halls will open are also worried as well as couples who cannot get married due to the epidemic. They want an ‘opening date’ for pre-reservation. Experts draw attention to the social distance rule. But is it possible to have a wedding without hale and belly? Here’s the answer…

CAN BE DONE OUTDOOR

Scientific Board member “It is not possible to give an exact date on when the wedding halls will open. We are not the authority to determine this. But it is a fact that congresses and meetings in indoor spaces, including weddings, do not seem to be much soon. The environment is not safe enough. Our weddings, as a matter of tradition, are very crowded. Social distance disappears. In such an epidemic, we cannot have weddings in line with the old routine. There will be participation from other cities to the wedding, which is a separate risk. Let’s say an undesirable situation happened. This means that 500 people are quarantined at once. We can find ourselves in a nightmare while saying we want to share happiness. “

FORMAT MUST BE IMPROVED

“My suggestion is to make weddings with less crowd in the family or to use open air spaces by simplifying them. If precautions are taken and social distance is maintained, it would not be ok to hold a wedding outdoors. Wedding hall operators, organization companies should develop new formats by thinking about how not to risk their guests. For example, a list with rules such as where to enter and exit the wedding and how to behave can be sent to future guests by invitation. Those who come will behave accordingly. The jewelry ceremony, congratulations are handled from afar . Municipalities can also take responsibility and create open and safe areas where weddings can be held. “

DATE IS ANNOUNCED FOR PRE-RESERVATION

Meeting and Wedding Hall Management Tradesman Chamber President deem some begins by stating that many halls are actually rented and the rents are quite high: “During the 3-month period, personnel salaries, bills and rent included expenses but there was no income. We are in economic difficulties, “he says. When stating that they cannot even re-opened on the agenda of a historic some, recalling that works with pre-booking of the wedding hall continues: “Come with groom ‘ We hold today lounge’ by saying they cannot do the wedding tomorrow It has an invitation, dowry, hairdresser, shopping, we need to know when we will start serving from now on so that we can date accordingly, make preparations, complete vocational trainings, and arrange our own economy.”

SECTORS ARE WAITING US

Jeweler, furniture, appliances, hairdresser, saying that 15 percent of the contributions to Turkey’s economy photographers included in the wedding industry Somme, “Bazaar will be opened as of Monday, but we cannot do weddings, we are also to lift up the jewelry industry. The wedding season, which was expected for a year, has come, but there is still uncertainty. This is a big problem for both couples and the industry, ”he says.

ILLA STILL NOT A MUST

Some continues: “Halls will definitely be disinfected . This is a human responsibility. A mask will be distributed at the entrance and the temperature will be measured. Seating plans will be prepared in advance, and guests will be placed accordingly. The spacing of the tables and chairs will be at least 2 meters. There will be officials who will provide control. The plates on the tables will be removed and the materials will be disposable. Treats will be prepared individually.

APPOINT ‘REFEREE’ TO WEDDINGS

WEDDING planner has an interesting suggestion: A referee should be appointed for weddings. ‘But how will this be?’ I ask. He summarizes it as follows: “Our people want to play and have fun after eating and drinking two bites. In such an environment, it becomes difficult to avoid contact. Maybe the belly will be thrown in Ankara air, but the heron will be kicked at the wedding of a family from the Black Sea, and that hale will be performed at the wedding of an Eastern family. ‘Dance in this song ‘ or ‘ I play this song, ‘ you say. At this point ‘ Wedding referees’ step in to eliminate and minimize contact. Circles are drawn in the halls, in which a certain number of people can enter, applied in parks and gardens… People have fun independently in those circles. At least 2-3 wedding judges predetermined according to the number of invitees also check whether the people are having fun in those circles and whether they comply with the rules. Makes the necessary warnings. If municipalities designate these people, “I am the groom’s cousin “or” Who are you?” such as fights or exits are prevented. “

WE ARE HARD ECONOMICALLY

It stated that the organization companies were affected economically by the process and said, “There is no date shown to us. Being constantly postponing the date both depresses the morale of the marriages and blocks us economically. If this goes on, many companies will be in trouble. There is already a need for state support. “Whether it is the postponement of rents, the granting of long-term loans, the structuring of debts in terms of tax, these can relieve us a little”

Courtesy: best outdoor wedding

[inloveandwords]

It works like this

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

Order on ascending date added.

Take the first 5 or 10 books (I’m doing 20 because I have way too many on my list)

Read the synopsis of the books

Decide: keep it or should it go?

Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1) by Kristen Ashley

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

Cash Fraser is planning revenge and to get it he needs the perfect woman. So he hires her. Abigail Butler has lost nearly everything in her life and she’s about to lose the home she loves.

Cash meets Abby, who is posing as a paid escort, and the minute he does he knows he’s willing to pay for more than Abby being his pretend girlfriend. A lot more. Abby needs the money or the last thing that links her to her dead family and husband will be gone. The deal is struck but both Cash and Abby get more than they bargained for.

Cash realises very quickly that Abby isn’t what she seems and while he changes strategies, Abby discovers that Cash’s legacy, Penmort Castle, is like all the tales say – very, very haunted. Making matters worse, the ghost in residence wants her dead.

Abby’s found herself in the battle of her life so she enlists Mrs. Truman, her nosy neighbour; Jenny, her no-nonsense friend; Cassandra McNabb, white witch and clairvoyant with a penchant for wearing scarves (and lots of them); and Angus McPherson, dyed-in-the-wool Scot (which means he hunts ghosts in a kilt) to fight the vicious ghost who has vowed that she will rest at nothing to kill the true, abiding love of the master of Penmort.

Date added to TBR: 1/24/17 Keep or Ditch? Keep Comments: This actually sounds really interesting and I believe I have it on audio.

    Moonstruck (Diablo Lake #1) by Lauren Dane

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

In Diablo Lake, Tennessee, a town populated by werewolves, witches, and more, magic woven deep into the earth protects the town’s secrets from outsiders.

Katie Grady left Diablo Lake to get over a humiliating breakup; but her family needs her help, so she’s back, in a sublet right across the hall from the guy she’s lusted after for years. Jace Dooley is hotter than ever, and their friendship picks up along with massive doses of grown-up chemistry.

The very scent of Katie sharpens Jace’s canines, makes the wolf within him stir. There’s nothing more alluring to a Pack Alpha than a sexy female who is so very in charge. She won’t be coddled, but if he plays his hand just right she might be convinced to become his.

Katie presents a challenge to Jace’s wolf nature, whose chief instinct is to protect. Especially now that she’s coming into the magic that is her birthright – and suddenly Jace isn’t the only one who’s interested in Katie, or the raw power she’s just learning to use.

Date added to TBR: 1/24/17 Keep or Ditch? Ditch Comments: I’m not super interested in this one anymore and the ratings aren’t that great on Goodreads.

    Doing It Over (Most Likely To #1) by Catherine Bybee

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

Voted Most Likely to Succeed, Melanie Bartlett ended up anything but. The down-on-her-luck single mom wants a complete do-over—is that too much to ask? With her family long gone from River Bend, strong, independent Mel is as surprised as anyone to end up in the quaint small town she once called home. But with her friends, Jo and Zoe, by her side, and a comfortable room at Miss Gina’s quirky bed-and-breakfast, she just might have turned the corner on a new life.

Wyatt Gibson never liked the big city. River Bend suits the ruggedly handsome builder just fine. Wyatt knows he’s home, even if that means being charmed by the appearance of Melanie and her spunky, adorable daughter. Is Wyatt’s calm devotion—even amid a coming storm—enough to convince Mel she may have found a home to call her own, a family that never leaves, and a true love to last a lifetime?

Date added to TBR: 1/24/17 Keep or Ditch? Ditch Comments: I think I owned this at some point (given to me by my mom), but I don’t see myself reading it any time soon.

    Staying For Good (Most Likely To #2) by Catherine Bybee

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

Zoe Brown may have been voted Most Likely to Never Leave River Bend, but the paper-thin walls and suffocating air of her family’s double-wide trailer were not what she wanted for her life. Other than BFFs Melanie and Jo, the only thing that kept Zoe sane during high school was her boyfriend, Luke.

She didn’t just leave, she escaped—turning her back on the shame of her black-sheep siblings and imprisoned dad. Now a celebrity chef in Dallas, she can afford all the things she never could have growing up. But when she returns to rustic, ruggedly beautiful River Bend, Zoe has to face all that she abandoned—including Luke.

While Luke was a refuge for Zoe in the past, he knows they inhabit totally different worlds now. Anchored by his parents and his job as a mechanic in his father’s shop, Luke never felt the urge to leave River Bend—until Zoe’s return.

But when the two rekindle their old flame, Zoe is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: remain in River Bend and confront her past before it destroys her, or say good-bye to everyone she’s ever loved…again, this time for good.

Date added to TBR: 1/24/17 Keep or Ditch? Ditch Comments: Same as above.

    The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Date added to TBR: 1/25/17 Keep or Ditch? Ditch Comments: I used to have this on my bookshelf, but I unhauled it recently.

    Worth the Wait (McKinney/Walker Brothers #1) by Claudia Connor

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

He broke her heart. When he finds out just how badly, it will break his too.

Nick Walker found the love of his life when he was just nineteen.

Found her. Loved her. Lost her.

It’s been ten years since Nick watched the only woman he ever loved walk out of his life. Now this FBI Special Agent will do anything to win her back.

But it won’t be easy…

Mia’s heart was shattered by Nick. They’ll have to face their painful past if they want a future, including Mia’s own secret about that day it all fell apart.

Do you believe in second chances?

Date added to TBR: 1/25/17 Keep or Ditch? Keep Comments: This is available on Kindle Unlimited and it has great ratings on Goodreads.

    All That Lies Within by Lynn Ames

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

How far would you go to hide who you really are inside? And what do you do when you find the one person from whom hiding your true self isn’t an option? Glamorous movie star Dara Thomas has it all-an Oscar nomination, dozens of magazine covers proclaiming her the sexiest woman alive, and people of both sexes clamoring for her attention. She also has a carefully guarded secret life. As Constance Darrow, Dara writes Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction, an outlet that allows her to be so much more than just a pretty face. Rebecca Minton is a professor of American Literature in love with the work of the mysterious, reclusive author Constance Darrow, with whom she strikes up a correspondence. A chance phrase in a letter leads her to a startling conclusion about the author. What happens next will change the course of both of their lives forever.

Date added to TBR: 1/26/17 Keep or Ditch? Keep Comments: I’m not a big fan of the famous trope.

    The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett

CLICK FOR SYNOPSIS

What if you had said yes? The moments that change everything… One Day meets Sliding Doors in this outstanding debut that is causing a buzz across the publishing world Some moments can change your life for ever. Have you ever wondered, what if…?

A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. On that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life.

Eva and Jim are nineteen and students at Cambridge when their paths first cross in 1958. And then there is David, Eva’s then-lover, an ambitious actor who loves Eva deeply. The Versions of Us follows the three different courses their lives could take following this first meeting. Lives filled with love, betrayal, ambition but through it all is a deep connection that endures whatever fate might throw at them.

The Versions of Us explores the idea that there are moments when our lives might have turned out differently, the tiny factors or decisions that could determine our fate, and the precarious nature of the foundations upon which we build our lives. It is also a story about the nature of love and how it grows, changes and evolves as we go through the vagaries of life.

Date added to TBR: 1/26/17 Keep or Ditch? Ditch Comments: Ehhhhhhh

  Decluttering my TBR #3 It works like this Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf. Order on ascending date added. Take the first 5 or 10 books (I’m doing 20 because I have way too many on my list)

[tsgnorthwestarkansas]

6 Reasons Not to Miss the 2019 Megaphone Summit

Photo credit: Megaphone Summit 2018 attendee @modernmomlife

Do you have your tickets for this year’s Megaphone Summit, hosted by The Scout Guide Northwest Arkansas member/business Soapbox Influence and presented by Kimberly-Clark? There’s no time to lose, as tickets are flying fast and it’s only two months away! Megaphone Summit will take place August 9 - 11 in Bentonville, Arkansas. (Don’t miss the chance to use our special TSG discount code, available at the bottom of this blog.)

“Megaphone Summit is about inspiring creative conversations and harnessing the positive power of social media. Attendees can expect a welcoming environment, an approachable crowd, a uniquely local experience and unparalleled creative inspiration. We send attendees home with full hearts, meaningful connections and an overflowing list of ideas to make their businesses and brands better.” - Bethany Stephens, President, Soapbox Influence (pictured above, at 21C Museum Museum Hotel Bentonville 

Entering its ninth year, the Megaphone Summit gathers influencers in every niche: lifestyle, parenting, food, fashion, travel, decor, health, fitness and beyond to share ideas, develop their skill sets, nurture relationships and learn from women entrepreneurs who are at the tippy-tops of their games. 

We have countless reasons to be excited about this year’s Summit, including the fact that The Scout Guide founders Susie Matheson and Christy Ford are joining the lineup, and the opportunity to meet up with TSG NWA members, followers and friends together in downtown Bentonville. We could go on and on, but we thought we’d let Bethany Stephens, Soapbox Influence President, fill us in on the reasons she’s so looking forward to Megaphone Summit. Below, read Bethany’s reasons to attend Megaphone Summit this year:

“Susie and I started The Scout Guide with a mission to support small businesses. That has stayed true for more than a decade but over the years we have also realized that our passion is supporting women. Through TSG, we have collected all these amazing women in 60 cities across the country, not to mention the women running so many of our TSG businesses, who have grown their businesses into amazing success stories. What drives us is supporting these women and empowering them. I look at The Megaphone Summit as a wonderful opportunity to continue that conversation.” - Christy Ford, Co-Founder, The Scout Guide 

photo credit: Kate Thompson/Betty Clicker

1. A Conversation Among Women Entrepreneurs with The Scout Guide Founders Susie Matheson and Christy Ford

It goes without saying that having Susie (above left) and Christy come to the event is a perfect fit. I recently met them in Charlottesville, Virginia and we spent a long time telling stories about our experiences building our own businesses. While at Soapbox we talk a lot about digital, The Scout Guide has been able to make a permanent and important place for print in today’s marketplace, especially for our treasured local businesses. What I love about TSG is how each city guide is a distinct, inspiring publication with stunning photography and original editorial content. The Scout Guide proves there is a place in today’s digital world for print, and that a beautifully-curated guide to living and loving all things local can thrive and inspire. I cannot wait to introduce these women to our Megaphone Summit crowd and to ignite an intimate and inspirational conversation with them.

Photo credit: Past Megaphone Summit attendee @dixieanddot

2. Being a part of a supportive, empowering community of bosses.

This event is about so much—learning important skills and staying on top of our game in the fast-paced world of social and digital influence, celebrating and enjoying Bentonville, creating brand and business partnerships—but most importantly, it’s about building a community of empowered women and entrepreneurs that builds each other up. Every year I look forward to watching those friendships form, and being a part of this wonderful energy that we all bring to Megaphone Summit. About half of our sessions are led by everyday people sharing their own experiences. Those sessions are a perennial favorite because we all really like hearing from someone just like us who have the same challenges.

3. Foodie Friday featuring the best of Bentonville!

One of our favorite add-ons for the conference is Foodie Friday. This year, we’re going all out to highlight the amazing emerging arts and food culture here in Bentonville, and Foodie Friday will bring the best of the best to Megaphone attendees. We have partnered with Brightwater - A Center for the Study of Food and local chef (a season six finalist on Next Food Network Star) Aria Kagan to lead a tour of the 8th Street Market and talk all things local food! We will also have a local wine expert partnering with a cheesemonger and there may even be an opportunity to open a champagne bottle with a saber! We’ll have a session on entertaining and how to assemble a charcuterie board and just immerse ourselves in the local foodie world and be surrounded by experts we will learn from.

4. 21C Museum Hotel Bentonville is an experience in itself!

21C Museum Museum Hotel Bentonville is our host hotel for the Summit and a true partner to us. Just staying at this hotel or perusing the onsite museum is an experience itself, but to be there together will be incredible. Serendipitously, the current exhibition that will be on display during the Summit is called “The Future is Female.” Pretty perfect, if you ask me!

Photo credit: Past Megaphone Summit attendee @deltamoxie

5. It really is an unconventional convention.

This is not a convention center experience by any stretch of the imagination. We really embody the mission of TSG, Live. Love. Local., with how we organized the Summit. Megaphone will be headquartered in downtown Bentonville, but we intentionally arranged to have each of our events hosted at an array of really interesting and unique locations across the city. It’s a conscientious effort to push people into the community. Our kickoff party will be at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, we will have lunches and dine-around dinners with local restaurateurs, and we will have our breakout sessions at The Record, some classes at both Brightwater and  21C Museum Hotel Bentonville.

“I have been attending Megaphone Summit since 2013, making this my 7th year, and at that very first conference, I connected with a community of bloggers and influencers in Arkansas (and the states beyond) that really launched my business and paved the way for my success. I will always continue to show up because it gave me my start. What I love so much about Megaphone is that it has stayed so unpretentious over the years. I’ve been to a lot of conferences where there is no connection and you are just a name. But this is about actually forming a community of women. You’ll walk away with connections, nuggets of wisdom and your soul is lit back on fire. Plus, it’s at the perfect time to get yourself recharged before the busy season in the blogging and influencer world!” - Taylor Bradford, The Scout Guide Fort Worth member, Sugar Creek Event Rentals and the Boss Girl Creative podcast.

Photo credit: Past Megaphone Summit attendee @modernmomlife; “Enjoy Local” mural by artist Jason Jones.

6. Rockstar speakers.

When it comes to our speakers, I am not shy about saying I reached out to people I wanted to hear from—people who are really inspiring. We have Jordan Jones, the Millennial CEO of Packed Party, Quinn Tempest, a local-vore in Phoenix who happens to be a digital marketing genius, and the founders of the wildly popular The Everygirl and The Everymom, Alaina Kaczmarski + Danielle Moss . . . and of course, Susie and Christy from TSG! The approach speaks to our mission. We are building brands through authentic conversations and this conference has a reputation as being approachable and friendly and not stuck up. We make sure the entire time is welcoming and never cliquey. The speakers are mingling and part of the crowd or sitting on a couch. If we have you over breakfast, we may stick mimosas in your hands. After all, this is a conversation among friends.

TSG Northwest Arkansas will be there with bells on, and hope you’ll join us! Megaphone Summit is limited to just around 200 attendees, so don’t hesitate to register. This event customarily sells out, and 21C will book up, so make sure to register soon. Use the discount code TSG for $30 off your ticket price. Tell them Scout sent you!

[blockheadbrands]

How This Sommelier Pairs Cannabis with Wine and Cuisine

Elise McDonough of Leafly Reports:

When I rolled up at a stately purple Victorian whose address I’d only received hours before, Jamie Evans—better known as “the Herb Somm”—was waiting to greet me with warmth and charm. A vivacious oenophile and expert in Old World vintages, Evans is actively translating the language of tastings and terroir from the established wine field into the more freewheeling world of cannabis.

“You have one season, one seed, one plant to express itself, creating a vintage that will never exist again.”Chef Holden Jagger, Altered Plates

Through her acclaimed “Thursday Infused” dinner series, she introduces well-to-do San Franciscans to cannabis cuisine and connoisseurship in an intimate setting, recruiting a rotating cast of chefs and purveyors to demonstrate their crafts.

“Cannabis is very complex,” she says, “just like wines, certain strains will make you feel uplifted or sleepy, so you can create moods.”

Evans needs to attend to some last-minute tasks (I’ve arrived early by invitation), so I settle into a plush sofa in the backyard to share a joint with Chef Holden Jagger, who’s driven up from Los Angeles to cook for tonight’s guests. A fixture on the So-Cal cannabis cuisine scene through his Altered Plates supper club, Jagger is one of the few chefs working with weed who actually grows his own. He’s also distinguished himself with innovative techniques such as pickling and salt-curing parts of the male plants or using their pollen as a seasoning, Holden came out of skateboarding culture enamored with the idea of “never been done,” slang for nailing challenging tricks in novel spots, and now applies this spirit of bold experimentation to cannabis cookery.

With unruly red hair and a hint of mischievousness about him, Holden says he’s been giving grow tips to other dads in Topanga Canyon, a bohemian enclave north of Santa Monica where he lives with his family. As we passed a jay of his tasty homegrown Royal Sour back and forth, Holden explains that this herb originated with a dearly departed grower named Ras Truth, formerly an influential seed breeder at Emerald Mountain who wrote extensively about the importance of nurturing living soil, and why sungrown cannabis compares favorably to indoor hydro grown under energy-intensive lamps.

Understanding Terroir in the Context of Cannabis

“Why do we celebrate a good bottle of wine?” Holden asks and answers, “Because it’s humanity and nature coming together to produce something special that’s a once-in-a-season opportunity.”

The concept of terroir—literally “of the land”—encompasses every environmental factor affecting the expression of a plant’s genetics, from farming practices and fertilizer regimens to the specific microclimate of the place where it’s grown. How terroir applies to cannabis is an ongoing debate between connoisseurs like Evans and Jagger, especially complex because weed is an annual plant, versus grape vines that live for decades or even centuries.

Chef Holden Jagger plates super-low-dose THC paired cuisine at Altered Plates. (Courtesy Altered Plates)

“With wine, you have a ‘good year,’ but with cannabis you can have a ‘hypervintage’ that is so exclusive…” Holden pauses before articulating this expansive idea. “You have one season, one seed, one plant to express itself, creating a vintage that will never exist again.” Coming from this perspective, a ‘good season’ for cannabis results in flowers that truly represent the weather and soil within the unique environment of a certain farm at a moment in time that can never be repeated, embodying these influences in a particular expression of cannabinoid and terpene profiles. Such specificity makes fine cannabis vintages even more precious and fleeting than any bottle of wine on earth.

Understanding the complexity of different cannabis cultivars, let alone the influence of terroir, requires years of devotion to the plant and its methods of production. Before a wine snob can assume the title of sommelier, they must pass a certifying test administered by The Court of Master Sommeliers, a process that requires years of study. While there’s no comparable program for “cannaphiles,” correctly guessing cannabis cultivars by taste and high alone necessitates a mastery of the plant gained only by the experience of growing it, or at the very least traveling to the regions where cannabis thrives to taste every varietal possible, talking to farmers and witnessing cultivation methods.

Taking a break from party preparations, Evans joins us, explaining how for the average person who just appreciates good food, wine and weed, beginning to experiment with pairing all three sensual delights can be made simple and fun. For newbies to cannabis, Jamie recommends developing connoisseurship by tasting the same cannabis cultivar grown by various farmers and training your senses to recognize the nuances that differentiate them.

How to Pair Cannabis with Wine and Food

When working with chefs, Evans starts her process by first reviewing the menu, looking for standout ingredients to base her pairings on. From there, she employs her “B.I.T.E. philosophy,” an acronym that stands for Balance, Intention, Taste and Enjoy.

Balance

Consider the weight of the wine and the intensity of the flavors in the dish as well as the textures of the food. Evans matches light wines with cannabis cultivars containing citrusy limonene, while pairing more sedating strains with darker, richer wines. If the food is rich, creamy or boldly flavored, she looks for more acidic, bright wines to balance the dish.

Intention

Set the mood for your event by matching the food, wine and weed to the desired atmosphere. Evans starts with pairings to energize her guests, followed by later combinations of wine, weed and food that will soothe them.

Taste

Based on the science of terpenes, Evans looks for common flavors shared by the ingredients in the food as well as the cannabis by smelling and tasting both items side by side.

Enjoy

“Pairing should be fun, so don’t let it stress you out,” says Evans. “There’s really no wrong answers!” Experiment with different wines and weeds until you find matches that resonate on your palate.

Beyond this basic framework, you can also pair flavors based on locality, matching wines with weed from the same region, along with food made from fresh ingredients harvested from nearby farms. Seasonality plays a role too, with delicate, brighter flavors appropriate for summer and more concentrated, intense flavors better suited to winter.

“Take a bite of the food, sip the wine, smell the flower and taste the vape, all those flavors should work together harmoniously,” Evans says, recalling a pairing of Candyland and Rosé that became her summertime favorite. “There was a bright beautiful candied citrus nose to it” that worked well with sunny warm days and light, refreshing cuisine.

Turning to winter flavors, Holden waxes poetic about a phenotype of In the Pines stuck in his memory due to its incredible piney-ness, remarking that he “paired it with venison and mussels in a coconut broth, and that was one of my favorites.”

Perched at the end of the long marble counter that serves as a chef’s table, Holden begins to assemble dishes, adding precise doses of THC with a tincture dropper. The entire meal contains 5 milligrams of THC, a microdose that’s barely perceptible to most cannabis users. Before each course, we’re also treated to passed vape pens and sniffs of Utopia Farms cannabis as Evans explains the wines and Holden talks up the food.

Dinner opens with a first course of Celeriac with purple potato, maitake mushroom, miso and honey, the celery root flavor complimenting Evans’ choice of a Balletto Pinot Gris 2017 to sip alongside. With notes of candied tangerine and citrus, the Pinot Gris matches the aromas and flavors from Utopia Farms’ Clementine cannabis flowers, as well as the deeper savory notes of the Master OG vape cart from Kurvana.

Capturing the feeling of summer fading into fall, the unctuous Roasted Duck Tostada that follows incorporates butternut squash, savory peanut sauce, salty cotija cheese and spicy salsa verde to create a rich dish with a slight sourness. Selecting for a wine that would stand up to the bold flavors of the roasted duck, Evans decided to go with a Buttonwood Rose 2017 because of its soft red berry notes, bright citrus, and cleansing acidity. Made from bolder Syrah grapes, this versatile rosé brings great depth to flavor, balancing the spicy richness of the duck while its citrus notes compliment Utopia’s Golden Lemons and Kurvana’s Citron OG.

Dessert brings Malt Semifreddo with roasted banana and chocolate, complimenting Utopia’s C. Banana cannabis flowers and a Banana Smoothie vape from Kurvana. With a burst of tropical fruit notes, the paired Rancho Sisquoc Sylvaner 2016 brings acidity and brightness, a great match for a rich dessert. Not overly sweet, this final wine cleanses our palates, bringing another soigné evening to its conclusion.

Being fortunate enough to enjoy gourmet food, wine ,and weed should (and does) inspire gratitude for the time and place where you find yourself, as well as the labor that went into producing your artisanal fare. Just like the practice of cooking or winemaking, growing and consuming cannabis ties us to the earth and the cosmos, bringing art and intention into our lives. Celebrating cannabis, educating yourself about it, and caring about how it’s grown introduces enthusiasts to true connoisseurship, deepening the relationship to the plant and the people who grow it, cook with it and love it.

Cannabis Pairing Shopping List

Replicate this experience at home (if you live in California) by finding the products featured at Thursday Infused at a dispensary near you.

Kurvana Vape Cartridges

Places to Find It:

7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond

Treehouse in Santa Cruz

Sonoma Patient Group in Santa Rosa

Caliva in San Jose

MedMen in West Hollywood

Utopia Farms Flowers

Places to Find It:

SPARC in San Francisco

Santa Cruz Naturals in Aptos

Harborside in Oakland

Berkeley Patients Group in Berkeley

From the Earth in Santa Ana

TO READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE ON LEAFLY, CLICK HERE.

https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/how-a-sommelier-pairs-cannabis-with-wine-and-cuisine

[downeystarkjr]

Lost Stars - Cursed Killian AU - Chapter 3

Summary: Killian and Emma finally have their happy ending and are looking forward to their future together. However, fate has other plans and decides Killian needs to pay the price for returning from the Underworld by being sent 5 years back in time to New York with a new life and new memories and a new love. With no memory of Emma or who he really is. Killian and Emma’s True Love is put to the test when they cross paths once more as The Saviour does all she can to bring her pirate back. If things weren’t bad enough, Emma and the other heroes have to deal with the arrival of The Flying Dutchman to the Storybrooke docks, the captain of which is on the hunt for the infamous Captain Hook…

Rating: M

Content/Triggers: Cursed Killian, fluff, angst, whump, nightmares

Previous chapters: 1 2

Full story on AO3 here

Chapter 3

“Wow, you’re going to be asking her today?” Belle asked with a fond smile, handing Killian the ring after inspecting the piece of engagement jewellery the pirate had purchased. She was excited and happy for her friend and his upcoming proposal to Emma. The librarian and the captain didn’t exactly have the best of initial meetings what with the latter trying to kill or harm Belle during their first three encounters. However, like Belle told Killian, she knew he had changed much since his villainous days. “It’s a gorgeous ring, Emma will love it.”

“Aye, do you think so lass?” the pirate responded and carefully took the ring box back and carefully closed it, placing the ring in his jacket pocket. Killian couldn’t wait to see the look in Emma’s eyes the moment he asked his True Love for her hand in marriage. “She and I have been living together for a while, and after everything we’ve been through, it’s reaffirmed that I don’t want to have a future without her.”

Belle, and well, everyone in Storybrooke knew Emma and Killian were in love. It was in Belle’s honest opinion that she was surprised it took the pirate this long to pop the question after returning from the underworld. “And I don’t doubt Emma will say yes to your proposal. Are you sure she has no idea what’s going on?

“Emma may often know when I’m hiding something, but alas, and to my advantage, she thinks I’m only planning a long overdue date,” Killian chuckled lightly. It was a challenge to sneak behind Emma’s back when he was in search for the perfect ring, but thankfully his girlfriend – and hopefully his soon-to-be fiancée – hadn’t the slightest clue of his plan. At least he hoped she didn’t. “And what do you think you’re doing?” the pirate grew amused when he noticed the kitten he befriended earlier decided to settle against one of the books Belle kept on library desk. “I hope you don’t mind me having brought a different type of company with me,” he smiled.

To reassure Killian, Belle shook her head and placed a hand on Killian’s shoulder while holding two books in her free hand. She always did love animals. “Why should I? She isn’t doing any harm,” the librarian called to the new addition to Emma and Killian’s household before gently petting the feline. “Have you decided on a name for her yet?”

“Aye, she’s called Olivia, Emma’s lad was also quite fond of the choice,” Killian explained. Speaking of whom, Henry was going to be caring for the cat while Killian took Emma out on their romantic evening.

“Olivia? I like that name, it suits her,” Belle was honest with her compliment towards Olivia while petting her. “What time is Emma expecting you for your date. Shouldn’t she be coming back from work soon?”

It wasn’t as if Killian had lost track of time. How could he? The date and the proposal was all that was running through the pirate’s mind. Killian was becoming a little impatient waiting for when he could go and pick up Emma, so he was trying to pass the time by spending it with Henry and now Belle. Although, Killian did need to carry out one more errand to make the evening perfect, it involved paying a visit to the florist. “Not until seven, giving Emma time to get ready to enjoy the night’s activities after a long day at work,” he replied to his friend, clearly eager to ask Emma to marry him.

After leaving Olivia in Henry’s charge at the Nolan’s apartment and his trip to the florist, Killian headed to the home he and Emma shared. Nothing could ever prepare him for the love-filled smile Emma welcomed him with, the smile she only ever saved for her love. The saviour’s admiration glimmered in her hazel green eyes as she uttered words of greeting to Killian. Placing a gentle kiss to his lips. “Good evening handsome,” Emma giggled, looking at her date for the evening. There was no other man who could ever make her feel that way, not even Neal provided Emma with the same level of happiness that Killian gave her just by being there.

“Good evening my Lady Swan,” Killian couldn’t resist acting like a gentleman to the woman who changed his life and added to the romantic gesture by bringing one of her hands to lips, kissing the back of it. “You look gorgeous love.” He spoke, speechless at the sight of Emma in a flowing pink V-neck chiffon evening dress complete with an elegant silver necklace and the top half layers of her hair tied in a ponytail.

“I know,” Emma smirked, recalling Killian’s same response to Emma’s compliment of his appearance at the start of their first date. “You’re not too bad yourself Captain.”

Killian quirked an eyebrow and shrugged casually, presenting his girlfriend with the pink rose that bore heavy similarity with the rose he picked out for Emma in Camelot. That had been one of his most favourable memories from their time in the kingdom, and remembered it fondly, especially the exhilarating horse ride the couple took to the field filled with flowers. “Not bad? I prefer dashingly charming,” he joked, his smile growing wider when Emma rolled her eyes as she took the flower, smelling it’s sweet scent.

“Thank you Killian,” Emma whispered and let Killian lead her out of their house and didn’t put up a fight when her pirate refused to have Emma drive them to the restaurant where he had placed a reservation. Instead Killian opted for them to enjoy a sunset stroll. Always one to let her curiosity get the better of her, Emma attempted get Killian to slip up and reveal to her where they were walking towards. However, he refused to give in, wanting to keep every part of the data a surprise.

The two of them had been on a few dates since Killian’s return from the underworld. However they were usually interrupted by a crisis when they got back home after a romantic time. Killian hoped that David would hold up his promise to deal with any problems that occurred, with the help of Snow and Regina. Thankfully, for once, there wasn’t a crisis looming over Storybrooke that required the Saviour. Emma rather enjoyed the stroll to the restaurant with her dashing pirate. He had a talent of making her laugh, let alone smile. Killian hoped that Emma didn’t suspect he was up to anything by taking her out on a date. Judging by her surprise to see he had led her to the restaurant where they experienced their first date – that is if they didn’t regard the snow monster or the ice wall on the town line as dates – Emma didn’t have a clue.

“Killian…I can’t believe you remembered,” Emma tried to find the right words to express how touched she was that Killian arranged to take her to the particular restaurant. But she didn’t have to worry about words right now when she felt Killian place his lips on hers, silencing the Saviour, for a brief few moments at least.

Emma let out a small hum of appreciation when her boyfriend deepened the kiss while placing his hand to cup her right cheek. “Are you surprised?” the pirate breathed when the two needed to pause for air. “Shall we my love? The evening awaits,” Killian added with a charming gesture of opening the door for his girlfriend, letting Emma into the restaurant before him. He always knew how to be a gentleman and be romantic with the woman he adored with all his heart. Gone was his desire to seek vengeance, it was now replaced by the wish of a happy ending. A happy ending where he could call Emma his wife.

Emma also wasn’t expecting Killian to have pre-ordered their romantic meal, a dinner that consisted of prawn cocktail appetisers and tagliatelle carbonara for the main dish. Of course, not being knowledgeable on Italian food, Killian made his decision after taking advice from the restaurant’s head chef. The pirate was part of the group of heroes who helped to protect Storybrooke, so of course the chef was more than willing to give Killian culinary advice.

Needless to say, Emma was surprised and more so, touched, to realise that Killian had booked the same table at the same restaurant where they spent their first date.

“Wow, someone’s gone all out to reminisce down memory lane, not that I’m complaining,” Emma noted and sat down once her boyfriend pulled out a chair for her. It was a pleasant to change having the chance to have normal moments in her life and enjoy a typical date with Killian. Without any interruptions. Something that other couples took for granted.

“Well, I recall how you loved the food here the first time we went out together,” Killian winked at Emma and reached out his one hand to her across the table, which she was more than happy to hold onto with both hands.

“And it’s much appreciated, I’ve been looking forward to this all day, it’s just what I needed after dealing with a suspect and sorting through paperwork,” she admitted and without thinking, Emma began softly stroking her lover’s single hand with her thumb before the starters arrived to the table.

“Aye?” Killian couldn’t hide the flirtatious look in his eyes that seemed to come so naturally to him. He always was the sort of man who understood how to treat women and was an expert of flirting with them, which was evident from his pirating past. Killian -while as a vengeful single man - would usually flirt with several woman, but now he was a reformed man. He had changed for the better and would only ever flirt with the woman who hoped he could one day soon call his wife. “You know you can always rely on me to show you a good time Swan,” Killian smirked, his tongue lightly tracing his bottom lip as his sea blue eyes met Emma’s green ones.

If Emma said she never found her True Love’s eyes captivating, she’d be lying. The Saviour found it quite the challenge to tear her gaze from Killian and look down to the food in front of her. But she had to, if only to hide the deep blush spreading across her cheeks. “I’ve lost track of the last time I had prawn cocktail, hmm… it’s so good,” Emma expressed, savouring the taste of the forkful of prawn cocktail she just tried, “what do you think Killian?” “Aye it’s delicious Swan,” the pirate smiled, gazing at his girlfriend adoringly while they ate their appetiser. “The food of this world never ceases to amaze me, there is a lot more variety than what’s available for a captain while on the high seas,” he explained honestly and ate another forkful of the prawn cocktail.

“Well I’m glad, I guess the food here and view of the ocean is what’s keeping you in town,” Emma said teasingly and gently nudged her foot against Killian’s beneath the table. She giggled like a schoolgirl with a crush at the flirtatious glare he issued her in return.

“Oh there’s something far greater and valuable to me than the view and few delicacies, or rather someone,” Killian corrected with that smooth tone of voice he tended to use when trying to impress Emma. Now they were a couple, it always worked. “My only reason for staying in this town is sitting right in front me, and honestly I can’t imagine spending my days without you Swan,” his words were filled with nothing but love and honesty and Emma knew he only ever spoke in such a way to her. No one had ever trusted or believed in Emma as much as Killian did. And Emma loved Killian enough to go after him in the Underworld so his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. It broke her heart when he couldn’t come back with her and the rest of her family. But now wasn’t the time to think about that, not while they were enjoying a date.

“You’re quite debonair aren’t you Captain?” The Saviour flirted, touched by Killian’s meaningful words as she placed down the fork once she finished her prawn cocktail.

“Well I certainly won you over, love.”

The meal went by even more peacefully than Killian and Emma had imagined. There was no crisis to attend to, no phone calls to interrupt them and no emergency to deal with. Meaning the couple could enjoy their evening meal. Though she shouldn’t have been since she was dating a man who saw her as his priority and the most important thing in his life, Emma was stunned that Killian had remembered the one time she told him her favourite dessert and ordered it for her that night.

When the Captain and the Saviour finished their wonderful dinner, Emma walked out of the restaurant, hand-in-hand with her boyfriend. “That was lovely Killian thank you,” she smiled widely, resting her head against Killian’s shoulder. “I don’t know about you, but I have the perfect way to end the night,” she said in a playful manner. It was about time Killian experienced a movie night with her.

However, Killian had other plans. “Actually Swan, the date isn’t over yet,” he revealed and was met with a look of confusion from Emma as she glanced up to him. “Oh love, you know I always try to make our next date better than the last,” the pirate reminded while leading his True Love from the restaurant down the short path to the docks.

“Is that so? Where are we going?” It was at Killian’s reveal that his plans for the evening were not over that sparked Emma’s curiosity. Making her a little suspicious. Especially when Killian just laughed her question off before falling silent.

“Come on Killian just tell me, what’s going on?” Emma asked with nothing but happiness. Pleading with Killian yet again to spill his secret on the way to the Jolly Roger.

“Swan, is it a crime that I want to spend time with the princess I love without risking any interruption?” the Captain responded, refusing to give anything away as he helped Emma board the Jolly Roger. Killian knew it was going to be difficult to keep the proposal a secret from Emma for long, what with her superpower for knowing when he was lying to her or keeping something from her. An ability that never failed Emma when addressing him. But like Killian once mentioned before, he loved a challenge and it was a secret worth keeping to see Emma’s reaction when he proposed at the right moment. In the perfect way.

“Well no, alone time does great actually,” Emma had to admit once they were on the deck of the Jolly Roger. However, she knew there must have been some other reason why Killian wanted them to go on his ship. “So where are we going Captain?” she asked, going along with whatever the pirate was up to and wrapped her arms around Killian from behind with her head rested on his shoulder.

“Ah that I can answer,” Killian replied, “there’s a small island not far from the docks, it’s quite wonderful. I’ve been there myself before and every time I do I find myself wishing you were there with me.” While teaching Henry sailing, Killian had discovered the small but beautiful island nearby and the pirate thought it was the best place to ask for Emma’s hand.

“Oh Killian…well tonight you finally get that wish,” Emma grinned and kissed Killian’s cheek, chuckling curiously to hear him laugh. “What’s so funny?” she titled her head to the side slightly.

“Nothing love, I was just thinking about something,” the pirate shook his head and leant back gently against Emma. “It’s just the last time you accompanied me to an island you weren’t familiar with, you couldn’t stand the sight of me, or that’s what you used to tell yourself. Now look at us,” he admitted and gently got his girlfriend to move in front of him, positioning her hands on the ship wheel. It was his way of getting Emma to sail the ship with him and he kept his hook carefully on Emma’s waist with his one hand on her right hand to help her steer the ship’s wheel.

Emma loved how Killian would try to include her in activities he loved, such as sailing, especially if it meant they could be as close as they were right then. After the Underworld and dealing with Jekyll and Hyde, Killian tried to teach Emma how to read Ancient Greek. It wasn’t exactly easy but Emma gave it a try and thanks to Killian’s efforts she did learn a few words. He was a talented teacher. “You and I have been through a lot since then. You’ve proven to me you’re more than villainous pirate and I love you Killian. There’s no one else I’ve found it so easy to say those three words to.” It was only when Emma was reunited after being separated by realms when he returned from the Underworld that she could say ‘I love you’ to Killian during a time when things were just normal for them. And now, she had no hesitation telling her dashing pirate what she felt for him. “I guess you were right with what you said on Neverland about winning my heart,” the Saviour added while Killian helped her with the ship’s wheel.

Killian was honoured to be the one Emma expressed her love to. He was grateful that Emma felt comfortable enough to be with him without having her armour or her walls up. He still recalled the day the two met, when they went on their first adventure together. When Emma left him on the beanstalk. Killian thought she was beautiful from their first encounter but the moment Emma caught his interest was speech she gave him in Granny’s diner when Storybrooke was at the brink of destruction thanks to Gregg and Tamara. The speech that convinced him to go back to the town to give them the magic bean, instead of focusing on getting himself to safety only. It reminded him that perhaps he could care for someone other than himself.

The pirate also remembered the moment he and Emma shared below deck where they discussed Neal on the wat to Neverland. It had been the first time he had been so honest with someone in centuries. Unknown to Killian, it was first time Emma started to wonder that perhaps there was more to Killian behind his pirate persona.  

“This is it my lady,” Killian declared and placed a gentle kiss to Emma’s hand. He then led an inquisitive Emma off the vessel to the grassy and flower-covered island. Making sure to take the satchel containing the sextant and his telescope with him. The Saviour thought nothing of it since she knew how Killian had a interest in stars and constellations.

“Wow, how did I never know there was an island like this near to where we live?” Emma spoke out in amazement, cuddling against Killian while admiring the island. It was the perfect place Killian could have taken her for their date.

“Aye, you’ll find there’s a lot more to the world when you’re not pre-occupied at the station or busy with a crisis,” Killian said while turning his gaze to the sky. There was a reason why he chose to propose on that particular night a certain constellation could be seen in the sky from the island.

Emma loved how Killian could get her to become aware and appreciative of the small details in life. One example of that was how he made her appreciate how calming and soothing the view of the ocean was. “Like what?” she asked sweetly, looking forward to her lover’s response.

“Like in the night sky for example, let me show you something Swan,” he suggested, starting the second part of his plan to propose to Emma, using his sextant to find a constellation. “This is a constellation known as Orion’s Belt, it’s one you can always see no matter where are you are, if the sky is clear enough,” Killian went on to explain, clearly passionate and knowledgeable of the topic. He then gave Emma the sextant, making sure it was still directed towards the correct constellation.

“I’ve actually heard of that, but I never knew you could see it any day or time of the year,” Emma was always impressed to discover Killian’s many skills and what he learnt during his time during the Royal Navy. She let her True Love show her more constellations as he moved the sextant so Emma could see them properly.

Killian could see how enthralled Emma was with what he was showing her. After a few other constellations, the pirate finally showed Emma the constellation he had been eager for her to see. “And this is the constellation of Altair and Vega,” Killian went on, taking the ring box carefully out of his jacket pocket while Emma was distracted with the constellation and the story accompanying it. “The legend states the stars represent how two people fell in love, the man poor and the woman rich, “ he began, knowing how Emma loved when he told her stories while they kept each other company.

“However, their parents disdained how close the two lovers were and schemed to pull them apart,” Killian could relate somehow to what that was like. He and Emma had been separated in different ways, but they still found their way back to each other. “As such, they made a deal with an enchantress who placed one lover on either half of the land. Stopping them from being together.”

This was the first time Emma had heard the romantic legend. It was only when she and Killian had the chance to be a normal couple and develop in a relationship that she learnt a glimpse of how knowledgeable her boyfriend was. He wasn’t just a pirate. Emma continued to look up to the constellation while her pirate spoke. “They were heartbroken to be kept apart and vowed to never love another because their love was too strong. The ravens sympathised with them and so, once every year for the rest of their lives, the flocks of ravens bridged the gap between Altair and Vega, giving them one night together until sunrise.” Killian had heard the story as a child long before he knew the constellation it related to. As his explanation concluded, Killian held up the ring to the lens of the sextant.

“That’s one of the mo-… hang on, Killian, I think something’s happened to the lens on this sextant thing,” Emma was about comment on the story, just as something appeared, blocking the view of the constellation. It was only when Emma lowered the device that she realised Killian was holding up a ring box complete with a diamond ring. “Killian is that….?” The Saviour couldn’t find the words to express what was going through her mind, feeling her heart drumming harshly in her chest. Was she about to be proposed to? Emma’s cheeks were coloured a rosy pink and Killian was relieved to see a smile rather than a look of hesitation.

“Swan I’ve been in love with you for a long time,” the pirate suddenly grew nervous at the prospect of proposing after feeling excited to finally ask Emma to marry him. “You know I have always thought you were beautiful love, but I still remember the time I fell in love with you,” he smiled, looking down to the ring box he held open. “It started when you took charge after arriving on Neverland, you were so bloody determined to find Henry that you wouldn’t stop at anything to get the lad back.”

Emma chuckled to herself through the tears of happiness ran down her cheeks. She knew what Killian was referring to and remembered when he expressed how he fancied her. Killian had been known to flirt, but from that moment, Emma was the only woman he wanted and tried to impress. It was the first time he had expressed some feeling to her, and Killian wasn’t surprised when Emma disregarded his claim at the time. He even tried flirting with her again by bringing up what he was like in the stories of the Land Without Magic but Emma just brushed him off.

“I was amazed by the bravery you displayed and I don’t know if you remember this, but in Neverland I once asked you about who you really were… I’m so grateful you allowed me into your life, to let me know you in a way that no one does,” Killian wrapped an arm around Emma when he noticed her tears. “You and I are kindred spirits Emma, I have never related this way to anyone before or felt such happiness as I do being with you. We come from different worlds and different lives but we share countless similarities,” he looked into his girlfriend’s green eyes. Hoping she didn’t think he was just warbling on. “And then our first kiss? Swan, that made me realise that I had fallen deeply in love with you. For the first time in centuries, I began to think about my future, a future with you, and when I expressed my secret to you in The Echo Caves, I knew for sure I wouldn’t be happy spending a life without you. You are my happy ending Emma Swan.”

Killian, having never been more ready, knelt down on one knee. Smiling up at Emma with the ring presented to her. The blonde could honestly not believe what was happening, after the day she had, Emma never once suspected to be proposed to at the end of it. Tears were streaming down her face, but she didn’t care as she held Killian’s hook while he was kneeling in front of her.

“You’re my saviour and my true love. Before I met you, I had given up on love until I found everything I ever needed with you. I finally know just what it means to let someone in, to let you  see the side of me that no one does or ever will…Emma, my love, my princess, my saviour, would you give me the honour of becoming my wife?” Killian finally popped the question, feeling a large weight being removed from his shoulders. This was something he had been wanting to do for a while.

“So that’s why you brought us out here, you lied to me Jones, you said it was just a date,” Emma laughed softly in disbelief and wiped her tears from her face. She wasn’t annoyed, but elated. Marriage was never something she thought was in the cards for her. Her smile widened at how Killian was looking at her with anticipation for her response. When Emma was first proposed to by Walsh in New York, her heart was filled doubt and hesitation. She remembered feeling scared of the future and the change marriage would cause. However, when Killian proposed, she didn’t have any doubts or fears. If being the Dark One and having to lose her darling Killian in the Underworld taught her anything it was that she couldn’t be without him. A man who she was willing to do anything for and he for her. He was her happy ending too. How could she have any doubts?

“Of course I’ll marry you Killian Jones. I love you.” She confirmed and let Killian place the ring on her finger before she grabbed him by the lapels of his leather jacket, sealing the proposal with a passionate kiss. “I love you too,” the amazed pirate whispered against Emma’s lips and kissed back, deepening the loving gesture. The Captain and the Saviour pulled through every hardship pushed their way were finally getting married. Neither of them could be happier, it was the next step in their future, one they both deserved.

Tagging a few users who might like the story. I’d love to know what you think! @yayimallamaagain @phiralovesloki @lenfaz @flipperbrain@cocohook38@hollyethecurious@winterbaby89@xhookswenchx@teamhook@resident-of-storybrooke@fairytalesandtimetravel@aye-captn@captainswanbookclub@captainswanbigbang@goldengirlschildhood@themilahskillybear@the-corsair-and-her-quill @clockadile@wellhellotragic @killian-whump @blittrellzsouthernangel @yayimallamaagain @sherlockianwhovian@snowbellewells